Never apologize for good goal tendering – especially if it helps steal you a point on the road.
After getting outshot 14-1 in the first period, the Prince George Spruce Kings found their sea legs, but it wasn’t quite enough on Wednesday night, falling 4-3 to the Coquitlam Express.
Ryder Green stood on his head during the opening 20 minutes, stopping 13 Coquitlam shots; the lone blemish was a Nolan Dupont marker to put the home side ahead 1-0.
Tai Ushio ignited the spark offensively for the Spruce Kings tying the score at 1-1 from Nick Bianchi and Marcus Lougheed.
Ushio and Justin Ivanusec (Coquitlam) then traded goals later on the in the middle frame to keep the teams tied at two.
Prior to the end of the period, Marcius Bishop broke the deadlock at the 15:37 mark on the power-play cashing in on a Dupont pass for a 3-2 Express.
Charlie Lake’s Mason Loewen extended his goal scoring streak to three games as he solved Coquitlam goaltender Charles-Antoine Girard forcing overtime.
In the extra frame, a Lucas Busch tripping minor proved costly as Kim Elfving scored the game-winner at the 3:04 mark.
The Express outshot PG 34-14 and went 2-for-5 on the power-play while the Spruce Kings went 0-for-1.
Green made 30 stops in defeat while Girard picked up the win despite making only 11 saves.
Carter Hesselgrave extended his point-streak to five games in the loss for PG. During that span, the 20-year-old from Quesnel has nine points.
The defeat snapped the Spruce Kings six-game win streak.
Both teams are now deadlocked in the BCHL’s Coastal East Division.
The Spruce Kings (22-13-2-0) are back in action Friday in Nanaimo (20-13-3-0) when they take on the Clippers at 7pm from the Frank Crane Arena.
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